Premila Lal was 'a ray of sunshine everywhere she went'

LONGMONT -- What started as a prank on Friday night has left a Longmont family reeling from the death of a bright 18-year-old woman and the jailing of a close family friend.

"It was a prank that went bad," said Praveen Lal, whose daughter Premila died at Longmont United Hospital on Friday night after she was shot at a family home at 2531 Cambridge Drive. "It is a kids' prank that went fatal."

Police believe Nerrek Galley, a family friend, shot Premila because he believed an intruder was in the home. He was arrested on suspicion of providing a firearm to a juvenile, child abuse and reckless endangerment, but has not been arrested on suspicion of any charges directly related to the shooting.

Praveen Lal said Premila and her 12-year-old cousin were supposed to attend Niwot High School's homecoming football game Friday night, but changed course and went to the home on Cambridge Drive. He said they sneaked into the house without alerting Galley and Praveen Lal's 15-year-old son, who was with Galley in the house. The family had moved most of their possessions to another family home last weekend and Galley stayed behind to watch the house, Lal said.

Premila and her cousin hid in a closet and made noises to scare Galley and the other teen. Galley, a gun owner, provided a gun to the teen and they began to search the house. Galley fired when they isolated the sounds.

Praveen Lal said Galley and the others rushed Premila to Longmont United Hospital, and that Galley carried his daughter in to the emergency room.

"He carried her. Right to the table."

Praveen Lal said he was able to briefly speak with Galley at the hospital before his daughter was pronounced dead. He said Galley said he doesn't want to touch another gun, which is a major change of attitude for a man who was interested in shooting and gun ownership.

"After that, the cops separated everybody and I didn't see him," Lal said.

He said he wishes he could talk to Galley, who moved to Colorado with his family last October.

"I just want to go and tell him we can feel his pain," he said.

He said his daughter and Galley were close and that Premila, who was a college-bound Niwot High School graduate, had persuaded Galley to pursue higher education. Lal said Galley will have to live with killing his mentor and best friend.

"He is like an older son to me," Lal said. "He has got a life sentence already."

Madhuri Lal, Premila's sister, described Galley as her best friend. She was the one who contacted Galley's family about the shooting, she said Sunday.

The home at 2531Cambridge Drive was the scene of a shooting which resulted in the death of an 18-year-old woman Friday night.
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LEWIS GEYER
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"We don't want him to go to prison," she said.

Praveen Lal said that his 15-year-old son had permission to be in the home with Galley and that, while Galley had provided a gun to the teen to search the home, the safety on that gun was on.

Praveen Lal said his brother owns the home on Cambridge Drive and a home on Niwot Road. The family was consolidating into one residence to be closer together to attend to ailing family members.

Premila was a bright student who ran track at Niwot High School in her senior year. The team wore her initials in her honor at a meet after finding out about her death, Praveen Lal said.

"She was a ray of sunshine everywhere she went," he said, later adding that Premila was wise beyond her years and a leader among his children, including Madhuri and son, Pranil.

Premila had the nickname Goodi, which is Hindi for "doll," Praveen Lal said. It was a name she inherited from her great-grandmother.

She was planning to study business administration at Front Range Community College, he said.

Aidan Prasad, holding a track photo of Premila Lal who was accidentally shot and killed at the family home on Friday evening. With Prasad is a group of immediate family, friends and cousins including in back row from left to right Binesh Prasad, Bruce Nordfelt, and Premila's father Praveen Lal, Suraj Richards, and Madhuri Lal. In the front row behind Aidan Prasad from left to right Anais Prasad, Nadia Prasad, and Premila's mother Angela Lal, Pranil Lal, Nyla Prasad and Anita Prasad. (Cliff Grassmick/Times-Call)

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